The present invention relates to a photographic printer, particularly relates to an apparatus which, in the case of reproducing desired regions in a reproduced color picture image selectively, that is, in the case of carrying out trimming with a color printer for manufacturing reproduced color picture images of color original pictures by projecting exposing lights on color photographic printing papers, sets accurately regions to be trimmed in an enlarged or a reduced picture image with desired reproducing magnification.
In a printing place, so called "Color Laboratory", at which operations for exposing color negative films on color photographic printing papers and manufacturing reproduced positive picture images in a large scale are carried out, recently an automatic color printer which uses wave-shaped color photographic printing papers has been widely spreading. This automatic color printer is adapted to feed a predetermined length of a wave-shaped color photographic printing paper wound up to a roll to an exposing part of the printer and projectingly expose a picture image of a color original picture onto the surface of a color photographic printing paper with any desired magnification by a photographic lens. As afore-mentioned processings, in the automatic printer desired color printings are obtained by developing the exposed photographic printing papers.
Such printers as described the above are useful in themselves, however, in the case of reproducing any desired region(s) of an original color by trimming it to any desired size, there are liable to occur somewhat inconveniences as follows, that is, in the automatic color printing apparatus a main body of the apparatus is accommodated in a light-shielding case so that the apparatus can carry out so called light-room operation, and particularly, it is common that the light exposing part of the apparatus is completely shielded from light coming from the exterior. Accordingly, it is rather hard to perceive visually a projected picture image on the focusing plane and it is also difficult to confirm status of trimming visually. In the conventional color printing operation, because of the afore-mentioned reasons, reproduction magnification is calculated by basing on the size of desired region of the color original picture and that of desired reproduction picture image, and is set to the color printer, and a trimming mask covering the focusing plane of the exposing part is disposed at a position near to a light source side of a photosensitive material, by aligning the center of the trimming mask and that of the original color picture to an optical axis of a photographing lens so that trimmed regions may be intermediately established.
However, in the afore-described means it is troublesome to measure sizes of the desired region of the original picture and the reproduced picture image, and particularly in the cases of reproducing magnified picture images, in general, measurement is liable to become inaccurate resulting from a size of the region of the original picture being too small, which results in causing error in trimming operation. There is further inconvenience whether the trimming operation has been performed properly or not can not confirm until the exposed photographic printing paper is developed in the conventional printer.
As one of measures for solving the afore-described problem the applicant of the present application et al proposed "A VIEWING DEVICE FOR A PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGER" and filed a patent application the application number of which is Japanese Patent Application No. 58-135187 (Japanese Patent laid-open Publication No. 60-26942). In this patent application there is disclosed an invention a focusing plane of a projecting type color printer which projects light downwardly along a vertical optical axis thereof is made with an opaque plate, and a reflecting mirror inclined with respect to the optical axis is disposed at the lower portion of the opaque plate so as to be able to confirm a picture image projected onto the reflecting mirror visibly. As described the above, this viewing device is adapted to be able to judge whether the trimming operation is performed properly or not.
There has been also proposed other means in which an image of an original picture photographed by a TV camera disposed at a position facing to a original picture equipping part is displayed on a picture screen of a monitor, and by displaying a standard line which indicates desired reproduced picture regions on the picture screen of the monitor, states of the trimming have been confirmed. However, in this case the TV camera must be disposed at a position out of an optical passage of the light exposed onto a color printing paper so that the light exposing the color printing paper may not be prevented, and the TV camera photographs the original picture not in the front direction, but photographs it in the oblique direction, accordingly, there generates distortion on the picture image displayed on the picture screen of the monitor, which results in causing inconvenience for carrying out accurate trimming operation. In order to solve the afore-mentioned inconvenience, it is proposed that the TV camera is provided so that it may be moved from a position on the optical axis which just faces to the surface of the original picture to a position out of the light passage of the exposing light.
In addition, the Applicant of the present invention et al filed a patent application the application of which is Japanese Patent Application No. 60-97867 (AN APPARATUS FOR SETTING REGIONS TO BE TRIMMED OF AN ORIGINAL PICTURE IN A PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER; same title of the present invention) with respect to an apparatus in which an original picture holder for holding the original picture is moved, in the case of setting regions to be trimmed, from an original position on the optical passage of the exposing light to the photographing optical passage of the TV camera, and with a monitor disposed at a position where is accessible for an operator, the trimmed regions can be confirmed.
In the afore-described conventional techniques there are found several disadvantages respectively as follows. In the photographic printer which uses a wave-shape photosensitive material, the photographic material is always placed on the focusing plane in a means having a mirror disposed at the back side of an opaque focusing plate, accordingly, what with its being hard to recognize focusing conditions thereof through the opaque focusing plate, and what with its also being liable to waste the photosensitive materials which are exposed in focusing operation, there can not be found satisfactory results for the application. In addition, in the case of confirming visually, because of the focusing plane being placed considerably far from the operator, it is also difficult to observe minute parts of the picture image. Further, as described the above, the means in which the TV camera is to be disposed at a predetermined position in the oblique direction to the surface of the original picture has a disadvantage to produce deformation on the displayed picture image, accordingly, it is very difficult to carry out accurate trimming operation. The means in which the TV camera is provided so that it can be moved from a position directly opposite to an original picture on an optical axis to a position out of the optical axis is required to dispose the TV camera movably in the light shielding part around the optical axis, so that a complicated and large scale of construction can not be evaded, which results in not only high cost but also occupation of wide space. The means in which the TV camera is fixed out of the optical axis and the original picture holder is moved from the position on the optical axis at exposing time to the position where the TV camera carries out taking-photograph in the case of regions to be trimmed being set is more advantageous than the above-described two means each of which is adapted to move the TV camera. However, still there are remained such disadvatages as being complicated and large scaled construction in the former means.
In order to solve the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional means the apparatus for setting regions desired to be trimmed on the original picture in the photographic printer according to the present invention is constructed as follows, that is, it is constructed fundamentally that a TV camera is disposed so as to be movable from a position on an optical axis of an exposing light to a position out of the optical axis, and concretely a small-sized and light-weighted TV camera using CCD sensor array is mounted on a rotary turret or a sliding type seating plate in parallel with a projecting lens, and can be moved on the optical axis so as to exchange with the projecting lens.